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December 05, 2004

Correction of the Week

In 2003, after many years of stoutly defending
the filibuster, this columnist, his reason unhinged by the
unconscionable filibuster against Miguel Estrada's confirmation to an
appellate court, endorsed changing Senate rules to prevent such things.
Now to make amends, herewith a credo:

The
filibuster is an important defense of minority rights, enabling
democratic government to measure and respect not merely numbers but
also intensity in public controversies. Filibusters enable intense
minorities to slow the governmental juggernaut. Conservatives, who do
not think government is sufficiently inhibited, should cherish this
blocking mechanism. And someone should puncture Republicans' current
triumphalism by reminding them that someday they will again be in the
minority.

This is also a good opportunity to point out an op ed in today's LA Times on the "nuclear option" contemplated by Senate conservatives to head off future filibusters. Here's hoping cooler heads prevail and that some of those conservatives, like Will, see the danger in this strategy.